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Tupou, Anthony |
  Anthony TUPOU [Player Stats] + Submit additional information or a correction to this player 
Tupou says sorry to Tonga as Dymock brands RLIF a 'joke' Mon October 13, 2008 by Matthew O'Neill Tongan cum Australian forward Anthony Tupou has said sorry to his Tonga team-mates as he accepted a position in the Australian World Cup squad as Tonga coach Jim Dymock has hit out at the World Cup organisers. Tupou was originally left out of the Australian squad and was immediately snapped up by Tonga as he qualified for both nations under the parent and grand parent rules that apply in the game. Tupou applied to play for Tonga and even trained with the squad, but Tonga's attempts to use Tupou was thwarted by a worried ARL. The moment a spot became vacant in the Australian side Tupou was rushed straight in ahead of worthwhile candidates Nathan Hindmarsh, Nate Myles, Sam Thaiday, Luke O'Donnell, Alan Tongue and Dallas Johnson. Speaking about changing from Tonga to Australia, Tupou said, "I'm so sorry the way it's all happened. "I was disappointed that I didn't make the Australian team, so I was then looking forward to playing with the Tongan boys. "But I just feel it was out of my control a bit when I was then told I had been called in for Crocker. "Even now I still feel bad, because when I say I'm going to do something, I do it. I just hope the Tongan boys understand how much playing for Australia means to me. I'm over the moon." To his credit at least Tupou said the word 'sorry' and went one step further than certain individuals. Tupou speaking to the Sun Herald newspaper yesterday, Tupou said, "If we're going to have a strong World Cup we can't have the same three countries just dominating every game. We don't want too many lopsided results. "We want Tonga and Samoa and those sorts of teams to be strong. "If they can have a few blokes who don't make the Australian team we'll have a great tournament. They're not just playing for those countries to get a game. Most of the boys were born in those countries, or have parents from there. "They can be really strong teams with a few other players thrown in. "You don't want the World Cup to be about those same three teams all the time. Tonga and Samoa can get a few upsets if they have the players they want. That was part of the reason why I wanted to play for Tonga when I missed out on Australia." Tupou went on to say, "I really wanted to get picked for Australia in the first place. That's the main thing about all this. I'm in the team I wanted to be in. I went back over to the Tongan guys and talked to the Tonga officials and told them I was going back to play for Australia. "They were OK with that. I spoke with a few of the boys and told them I couldn't play for Tonga any more. It was unfortunate, the way it all happened. But they understood where I was coming from." The loss of Tupou came on top of the RLIF ruling Eels enforcer Fuifui Moimoi and Wests Tigers back Taniela Tuiaki ineligible under the qualification rules. Both Moimoi and Tuiaki applied to play for New Zealand in their tour of Great Britain and France last year and the RLIF ruled them ineligible for Tongan selection despite missing out on the New Zealand side. Dymock wasn't critical at Australian coach Ricky Stuart or New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney. He instead aimed his attack at the authorities running or perhaps ruining the game. The Tongan coach said, "This has nothing to do with Toops or Ricky Stuart or even Stephen Kearney for New Zealand. "They've been so supportive of the smaller nations doing well at the World Cup. It's got more to do with the decision makers in the game. If they think taking players off us will break us, because that's what it seems they want, they're wrong." Dymock went on to say, "I think it's a big joke. "I just don't understand, after the World Cup everything all starts again. So why can't they just do it now? "I just want that explained to me. What's the difference either now or after the World Cup? "People want to see these players. If they're not playing for New Zealand or for Australia they're trying to help out the emerging nations. "That's what they're trying to look at, internationals to be back where they used to be, strong internationals instead of these one-sided games." "I spoke to Stephen Kearney and I'm pretty sure he would be fine with it. "I don't mind the Tupou one, I can cop that on the chin." Tuiaki said, "What's the point of having a World Cup and not letting the players play? "To make it more competitive and get more people to turn up to watch the games they should let more people play for their country. "I was looking forward to playing in the World Cup. It's the biggest thing in the sport. "It's not looking good. There are no regrets playing for New Zealand because that was one of my goals, to play for the Kiwis. This year I've been pretty quiet and I didn't get to play for the Kiwis in the World Cup. It's disappointing but what can you do?" Comment: The World Cup is an outstanding concept and Rleague.com will support it to the hilt despite all the obstacles that is being placed in front of Rleague.com. The problem facing the World Cup is not the fact Australia is going to win it by the length of the strength, but the people and organisations in charge of promoting and running the tournament. The NSWRL U/16 Youth Development Cup last Saturday denegrated into a farce and was poorly run. Many of those people have been placed in charge of organising the World Cup, which is a massive worry. What Dymock says is spot on the money and it seems that some people are running scared of Tonga being successful and the emerging nations being a success, such as Lebanon last Saturday in the U/16's tournament. Rleague World Cup Website - http://worldcup.rleague.com CLICK HERE TO READ & SIGN WORLD CUP FORUM Tonga lose Moimoi and Tuiaki on top of losing Tupou Fri October 10, 2008 by Matthew O'Neill Tonga has been dealt a triple blow leading into the upcoming Rugby League World Cup with Fuifui Moimoi and Taniela Tuiaki being ruled ineligible on top of losing Anthony Tupou to the Australian squad. Tupou was overlooked for Australian selection on Tuesday and alligned himself with Tonga. He was drafted into the Australian squad last night following the withdrawal of Michael Crocker. Tupou had applied to play for Tonga in the World Cup and even trained with the squad. The Australian selectors in their wisdom chose Tupou ahead of a galaxy of back-rowers including Nathan Hindmarsh, Ben Creagh, Nate Myles, Dallas Johnson, Luke O'Donnell and Alan Tongue. Moimoi and Tuiaki had their applications for Tongan selection knocked back by the RLIF on the basis that both of them played for New Zealand last year on their tour to New Zealand and France and had already applied to change their allegience from Tonga to New Zealand. The rules state that you can only change your alligiance once every two years. The RLIF in a statement said: "Under RLIF rules, players who are eligible to play for more than one country must elect which country they will represent," the RLIF statement read. "Once this has been done, a player may not change his election until the completion of the next World Cup, or after having not represented that country for two years. "A player is allowed only one application under this rule in any two-year period. "In 2007 the RLIF executive had approved applications from both Moimoi and Tuiaki to change their country of election from Tonga to New Zealand. "This was approved and each played for the Kiwis in last year's tour of England and France. "A separate application from the two players was also tabled last night seeking to change their election a second time to again be available for Tonga for the 2008 World Cup. "This application was rejected." Meanwhile, the RLIF approved applications from four players to switch allegiance - Ben Roberts (Samoa), Jarryd Hayne (Fiji), Louis Anderson (Tonga) and Antonio Kaufusi (Tonga). Hayne's application could prove to be futile as he's set to be drafted into the Australian World Cup squad should Justin Hodges withdraw. UPDATED 2008 TONGA WORLD CUP SQUAD Fraser Anderson (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks) Louis Anderson (Warrington Wolves) Andrew Emelio (The Bulldogs) Richard Fa'aoso (Newcastle Knights) Awen Guttenbeil (Castleford Tigers) Michael Jennings (Penrith Panthers) Antonio Kaufusi (Melbourne Storm) Toshio Laiseni (Newtown Jets) Taniela Lasalo (Parramatta Eels) Epalahame Lauaki (NZ Warriors) Tevita Leo-Latau (Wakefield Trinity Wildcats) Willie Manu (Hull FC) Manase Manuokafoa (South Sydney Rabbitohs) Feleti Mateo (Parramatta Eels) Eddie Paea (South Sydney Rabbitohs) Lopini Paea (Sydney Roosters) Mickey Paea (Sydney Roosters) Fetuli Talanoa (South Sydney Rabbitohs) Joel Taufa'ao Esikeli Tonga (Gold Coast Titans) Etuate Uaisele (Newcastle Knights) Cooper Vuna (Newcastle Knights) Tony Williams (Parramatta Eels) Tonga originally named a 26-man squad for the World Cup before the withdrawals of Tupou, Moimoi and Tuiaki. Tonga can still add one further player to their squad to fill the maximum amount of 24 players prior to the tournament starting. The Tongans will be coached by former Australian International and Bulldogs 1995 premiership winner Jim Dymock, who next year will be the Bulldogs NRL Assistant Coach working alongside Kevin Moore. Tonga have been placed in Pool C alongside Ireland and Samoa with the winner of that group to play the winner of Pool B in the Qualifying Final for the right to play the winner of Pool A in the semi final. - Tonga v Ireland at Parramatta Stadium Ticket Information - Tonga v Samoa at CUA Stadium Penrith Ticket Information Rleague World Cup Website - http://worldcup.rleague.com CLICK HERE TO READ & SIGN WORLD CUP FORUM
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